


Stay

by ThineLostSock



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Creature Stiles, M/M, Merman Stiles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-12-21 05:19:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11937141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThineLostSock/pseuds/ThineLostSock
Summary: “I’ve been wanting to do this again for four years.” Stiles sighed into him.“Me too.” Derek stared at him.





	Stay

Derek sat on the boardwalk, watching the sun rise at the pack’s Hawaiian summer house rental. He heard splashing and sloshing below the deck. He looked, and saw a huge fish trashing, and blood in the water. He listened, only hearing its heartbeat, no other fishes were around. He striped to his boxers, getting in. He blinked a couple times under the water, staring at a merman, trying to get his tail free from a giant hook. Derek came closer, his hands up. The merman shrank away as far as he could, his tail still stuck. Derek flashed his eyes, making the merman still. He was gorgeous, even in the murky morning water. Derek bent down to look at the hook, bending it so he could gently get the merman’s tail free. He held it gently, grabbing some longer seaweed, wrapping it carefully. He let go of the tail and surfaced for air, and when he went back down the merman was gone. Derek frowned, climbing back on the pier. He walked back to the house after a long while, carrying his clothes.

  
-

  
It had been a week since Derek saw the merman, wishing he could see him again. According to the bestiary, anyone who laid eyes on a mer was always drawn back to them, supernatural or not. Mers who didn’t kill their victims lured them back with their beauty. Most mers didn’t eat humans anymore, at least that’s what Chris told Allison when she called to ask about them before he taught her over the phone how to kill them. Their beauty left a mark, and it was everlasting. That was sure.

  
Derek felt a tail go between his legs as he straddled his board. He smiled as the merman brought itself up onto the side of his surfboard, holding just his shoulders above water, resting his arms on the board. His arms and shoulders were toned, strong enough to hold him up as his tail aimlessly swam around.

  
“I never thanked you. I wasn’t strong enough to get out of that hook alone, and the tide would’ve beached me long enough to dry me out and kill me. So, thank you. I’m sorry I ran away.” The merman was beautiful. He had brown, wet hair, whiskey eyes, and plump, red lips. Beauty marks continued down his face and neck to his shoulders and arms, down his taunt back and chest Derek would bet. Even though he knew the merman was beautiful out of an evolutionary killing mechanism, he couldn’t help but stare.

  
“It’s okay. That was a scary situation.” Derek shrugged.

  
“You’re a wolf.” The mer looked him over. Derek tried not to puff his chest out.

  
“Yes, an Alpha.” Derek nodded.

  
“I’ve never met a wolf before.”

  
“My pack is mostly wolves.”

  
“And a banshee and a kitsune. And a hunter. She smells like a gun, the others I can sense.” He explained, looking at the others as they surfed and roughhoused.

  
“She’s not going to hurt you, none of my pack will.” Derek assured him.

  
“I know. My tail’s much better, if you needed to know.” He lifted the end out of the water, showing Derek his healed tail.

  
“Good, I’m glad. Do you live around here?” Derek looked out at the endless ocean before him.

  
“My school does, they’re not far.” He nodded.

  
“Good.” Derek smiled a bit.

  
“That wasn’t meant to be threatening.” The mer adjusted, his tail swishing aimlessly below Derek’s board.

  
“It wasn’t, but it’s good to know.” Derek smiled at him.

  
“And I’m not a people-eater, none of my school are.” He looked back at the shore.

  
“That’s also very good to know.”

  
“So, is your pack located here?” He looked at Derek again. It was hard not to squirm under the intensity of his eyes.

  
“We live on the main land, we’re spending our summer here.”

  
“Oh.”

  
“We got here a week ago, the day I freed you, and we’re here for seven more weeks.”

  
“Oh, neat.” The merman smiled again.

  
“Can you guys survive on land, or just in water?”

  
“We’re adaptable.”

  
“Oh.”

  
“I should go.”

  
“Derek.” Derek called his own name out as the mer dipped back under.

  
“What?” The mer resurfaced, just his head.

  
“My name. It’s Derek.” Derek smiled.

  
“Stiles.” Stiles flipped back into the water, flinging his tail up before diving under.

  
Derek didn’t notice the beautiful shells stuck to his board until he brought it inside.

  
“Someone’s got an ocean admirer.” Lydia smiled. “I heard you two talking. He seems nice.”

  
“It wouldn’t ever work, he’s where he belongs.”

  
“Don’t assume, Derek.”

  
“I know, it makes an ass out of you and me.” Derek sighed.

  
“Come help me make dinner. Isaac caught some huge fish off the pier.” Lydia went inside, Derek following her.

  
-  
The next time Derek saw him, he was sitting on the beach. Stiles was in shallow water, flicking his tail to draw Derek closer. Derek sighed. He was in his swim trunks already. He waded in. Stiles popped up.

  
“Put this on.” He held a necklace out to Derek.

  
“What?”

  
“It’ll help you breathe underwater. Merpeople can only kiss once to prevent drowning land-walkers, so we try to save it. That’s where this comes in, it’s for guests.” He held it out to Derek. Derek put it on. Stiles held out his hand. Derek took it, letting Stiles lead him deeper, until Stiles’s arms slid around him and he swam down, deeper. An air bubble appeared around Derek’s head, letting him breathe. Derek clung onto Stiles’s strong body as he swam. He then turned up, and they ended up in a small, air filled cavern. Where Stiles set Derek on the edge of the rocks.

  
“This is where I keep my things. I collect them, we all do, and we trade them too.” The cavern was full of glittering objects. He had a large chest of coins, ancient Greek coins, and lots of silverware and plates, some broken, some not. He had a mirror, and lots of expensive jewelry and shoes, some paired, some not. The rock was solid magma, Derek could smell it even with the water and Stiles.

  
“This is a pretty large collection.”

  
“Yeah, it is. My mom helped me at first, but I like scouring for things. There are lots of old shipwrecks west. But sharks and squid swim those waters.”

  
“Are sharks and squid predators to you?”

  
“Desperate ones are. Or young ones that don’t know better.”

  
“Is it dangerous, going in those waters?”

  
“It can be but it’s usually worth it. My father doesn’t like it when I get far away, he worries. He says I don’t need to collect so much.”

  
“So, why do it?”

  
“He doesn’t let me do a lot else. I’m done with my education but until he says so I can’t start working yet so I have nothing else to do. Do you like them?”

  
“It’s all very beautiful.”

  
“Thank you. You can take some, if you want. My dad says it’s important to share.”

  
“I shouldn’t.”

  
“I want you too. Or do you like shells better?”

  
“Shells.” Derek though about what wouldn’t get confiscated at TSA so easily. Gold coins were probably a red flag.

  
“Okay. Stay here.” Stiles slipped away, back into the water at the bottom of the cavern. He came back, hands full of them. “For your pack.” He smiled.

 

“Thank you, Stiles.”

  
“I should get you back before my father sees you. He doesn’t like land walkers much.”

  
“Okay.” He pocketed the shells, and had to explain what a pocket was to Stiles, who was fascinated by them. Stiles brought him back, circling around him before he left.

  
-

  
The next things he left for Derek a few days later were flower crowns for everyone in the pack, and a note.  
‘My dad said a land-walker holiday was coming up, and it’s custom here to wear a flower crown when you celebrate, so I made you and your pack some.’

  
-

  
“So, who’s this? You under-water squeeze?” Jackson looked at Stiles as he was perched on Derek’s board.

  
“I’m Stiles. Which one is this?”

  
“Jackson, be nice.” Derek warned.

  
“Oh. Hello, Jackson.” Stiles waved.

  
“You’re a merman?”

  
“Yes.”

  
“I don’t see what all the fuss is about.”

  
“Trust me you’re not so great either. I’m Scott.” Scott paddled up.

  
“Hi.” He waved to Scott. “Your wolves are nice.” Stiles turned back to Derek.

  
“They try.” Derek shook his head.

  
“You’re nice. And you’re their leader, so it makes sense.” Stiles latched onto Scott’s board. “So, you’re the one dating the kitsune?”

  
“Yeah, wanna meet her?”

  
“Yeah!” Stiles swam along Scott, doing tricks to make him laugh.

  
“Kira, come meet Stiles!”

  
“The merman Derek’s in love with?” She asked after she popped back onto her board, the last wave having knocked her off.

  
“Yeah. Stiles, the kitsune and my Mate, Kira.”

  
“Hi.” Stiles waved. “How can you enjoy the water so much when you’re a thunder kitsune, shouldn’t you be electrocuting everyone including yourself?”

  
“We can control it, meaning right now I have no electricity at my fingertips. But I can pull it up when I need it.”

  
“Wow, that’s cool.”

  
“Oh, is this him?” Allison paddled up.

  
“You’re the huntress.”

  
“Allison Argent.”

  
“Oh, I’ve heard about your family before. They’re like, all bad-asses and you guys have a new code, we protect those who cannot protect themselves. That made ripples in the supernatural world.”

  
“Oh, wow. I didn’t think you’d know all that.”

  
“You’re with the blonde male wolf, right?”

  
“Yeah, he doesn’t much like surfing, he’s scared of lots of water but he likes to fish.”

  
“I’ll keep that in mind. What’s it like, being with a wolf?”

  
“He makes me wear his clothes and makes sure after I wash the sheets to roll all around them, to ‘scent’ them. And he’s a little possessive but so is my dad, so. I was dating Scott before.”

  
“So you have a soft spot for wolves?”

  
“I guess I do.” She nodded. “Erica, Boyd, come meet Stiles.” Stiles hefted himself carefully on Derek’s board when he paddled closer. Erica smiled.

  
“He is cute Derek. You weren’t lying.”

  
“What’s cute?”

  
“He likes the way you look.”

  
“Oh. Thank you.” He turned to Derek, who blushed, glaring at Erica.

  
“Boyd’s the quiet one, I remember Derek saying that.”

  
“Unless he has something to say he doesn’t say anything.”

  
“My dad’s like that. Crap, my dad. I have to get back. I’ll see you guys later!” He kissed Derek’s cheek and dove away, swimming fast.

  
“You’re whipped, man.” Jackson looked at him.

  
“Like you’re not.” Derek pushed him lightly.

  
Later, when Isaac was fishing with Lydia, they brought in shells, handing them to Derek. Derek smiled. His pack approved of Stiles. Derek tried not to think of what was going to happen when summer was over.

  
-

  
Stiles visited them nearly every day. He loved getting Jackson’s hair wet. He’d splash him with his tail, or flip his board. Jackson fumed but he was never fast enough to get him. Erica loved to gossip with him, apparently the sea could be a scandalous place. He and Allison liked comparing bestiaries, adding to one another’s. Lydia and Stiles didn’t talk much, but he’d sit with her, making Derek carry him onto the beach to sit with her. She let him read her human magazines, ad he brought her some MerMag issues and they’d explain what things were to one another. They also both loved calculus. Boyd liked to dive for shells, and let Stiles help. Kira and Stiles just did tricks together. Stiles would bring Isaac fish at night, and listen as he talked about his dad. Then, before he left, Stiles would spend time with Derek. He also visited Derek when he was having his coffee on the pier. Stiles didn’t like it but drank it with Derek. Then he’d slink away until later, when the pack was out.

  
-

  
Stiles kissed Derek on his surfboard in their sixth week in Hawaii, hauling himself fully on, his tail hanging over the side as he kissed him. They kissed until Stiles broke away with swollen lips, saying he’d been away too long. He gave Derek a beautiful shell, and slipped away. When Derek got back to the rental house he saw the note inside. ‘This was my father’s, he gave it to my mother when they paired. I want you to have it.’

  
-

  
Stiles came on land one week after that, letting Derek help him learn to walk when his tail turned into legs. He didn’t understand pants nor towels. They walked on the soft sand, so when Stiles fell it was gentler. Stiles ate some human food, mostly s’mores. Then, that night, Stiles stayed the night with Derek, experiencing the best sex Derek could give anyone. Stiles told Derek he loved him, and in the morning, he walked back into the waves, after a kiss goodbye and another shell that he made Derek promse to open once he was out of sight. Derek waited, like he promised. He opened the most beautiful shell to date. ‘Goodbye, my wolf. I will always love you.’

  
-

  
“Come on, Derek. We can’t miss our flight.” Allison rubbed his back.

  
“I know.” Derek sighed. “I love you, Stiles. And I should have said it more. I’ll always love you.” Derek let his voice crack, letting Allison tug him away from the water. He watched the water as the plane took off, but he couldn’t see Stiles.

  
-

  
“I’m going to build a house. I bought some of my family’s land back from the county, and I’m starting to draft plans. It’ll be on the coast, farther into the preserve than the last one.”

  
“Holding onto that hope?” Erica looked at him.

  
“He’s My Mate. He’ll come back. It’s only been six months but I need to make something beautiful for him to want to come to.”

  
“I think it’s fantastic!” Allison hugged him, hard. The pack threw a small party, and promised to help.

  
-

  
“I think he’d like blue. He is in the ocean, after all.” Erica looked at the swatches in the hardware store.

  
“But if he comes here-” Scott started.

  
“When.” Derek corrected.

  
“When he comes, he’ll be leaving that behind. Don’t you think that’d hurt, just remind him of it?” Scott finished, looking more at bright colors.

  
“Because the shell he gave us in the huge vase won’t remind him either.” Erica muttered.

  
The house was in its second year of construction, the pack members were the only ones who worked on it. Derek had redrafted the thing almost twenty times before he liked it enough to start building. Now all it needed was flooring, paint, appliances, and furniture. Each couple had a room in the house, as well as Derek. There was a small guest house in back, with its own kitchen and appliances for when the pack’s families came to stay. He just looked at the wall of paint before settling on a very light grey.

  
“I like it.” Erica nodded. Derek added it to his stack so they could get samples of all the colors.

  
“Flooring then we can go to IKEA and west elm.” Derek handed the paint clerk the samples, and left Erica to wait despite her protest that she could help pick out the best floors.

  
-

  
One year later.

 

Derek sighed and rolled over when he heard the knocking late at night, but he got out of bed to answer the door. He opened the door, staring at Stiles on the other side, in human clothes.

  
“I know you hate me, and I’m the last person you want to see. The reason I had to let you leave was because I’m the king of my school. Or I was. My dad, he found out about you. He gave me one more night with you then I had to pair and settle down. But I couldn’t because my pair was on land. I appointed my successor and stepped down. I told my dad I couldn’t be underwater if I wasn’t with you. So, with his blessing, I came on land. And I learned how to use a fork and knock on a door. If you don’t ever want to see me again I’ll figure it out, but” Derek surged forward, grabbing Stiles and kissing him, hard. He picked him up, hauling him inside and upstairs. Stiles grabbed onto him like his life depended on it as Derek carried him through the house upstairs to his bedroom. Derek lied him on his bed gently. Stiles smiled.

  
“I’ve been wanting to do this again for four years.” Stiles sighed into him.

  
“Me too.” Derek stared at him. His memory hadn’t done Stiles justice.

  
“I’m sorry I left.” Stiles looked up at him, his hand cupping Derek’s neck.

  
“You’re here now, that’s what matters to me.” Derek dipped down to kiss him.

  
“I want to stay.” Stiles looked up at Derek with a world of hope in his eyes

  
“Then stay.” Derek whispered, kissing him again. “Stay.”

  
Stiles smiled. “I’ll stay, I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, thanks for reading! I answer my comments, so feel free to leave one!


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